Easy Living Air Plant Vine Wreath
We’re not big into making wreaths here in South Africa. Well not yet anyway. But ever since I put together this dreamy crescent moon version , I’ve been itching to make another one. Nothing fancy mind you. Just something small, simple, and easy; like this air plant vine wreath.
She’s perfect in so many ways. Not only did it take me about 30 minutes to cobble together, I also found a way to put one of my growing collection of Tillies on display.
The simplicity of the wreath creates such a lovely backdrop for an air plant without overpowering these gorgeous epiphytes that live on air.
So just in case you want to put your Tillies on display, I thought I’d share how to make an easy air plant wreath using vines.
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What you need
The base for this wreath is a grapevine circle with a wire mesh backing. Most craft stores sell both the mesh and vine forms. If you struggle to find a vine wreath you can make your own using fresh vines from the garden. This tutorial will show you how.
You’ll also need:
- Suitable air plant/s
- Wire
- Plant safe glue (E6000 or super glue)
- A piece of wood to mount the air plant
Easy-peasy air plant vine wreath
Place the vine circle/wreath on the wire mesh to get an idea of how much you need.
Cut a circle that’s bigger than the inner diameter of the circle.
You want enough mesh around the edges to be able to attach it securely.
Attaching the mesh to the wreath
Attaching the mesh can be done in two ways:
- Sew the mesh on using fishing line,
- Or use wire.
Thread the wire through the mesh and the grapevine wreath and twist the ends to secure.
Test of the mesh backing is strong enough and that you haven’t missed a spot.
Adding the air plants
Find a suitable piece of driftwood. It should be big enough to hold the air plant without overpowering the wreath. Make sure the wood is moisture-resistant to prevent mold or other damage. I normally seal mine with a water-based polyurethane.
Drill a hole in the top and thread a sturdy piece of wire through the hole. Twist one end to secure it to the driftwood and for a hook on the other end.
It should look something like this.
Put a dollop of glue on the driftwood and gently glue the air plant down. Don’t use hot glue. The heat will damage the your air plant. E6000 works well or super glue, if you impatient like me a don’t want to wait hours for the E6000 to dry. My favorite way to attach air plants is elastic bands, but I couldn’t find any.
You can take the wreath to the next level and add metal hooks at the bottom.
The hooks are perfect for draping Spanish moss, another member of the Tillandsia family.
To finish off, tie the cord to the top of the wreath.
Hang and enjoy.
Not bad for a ½ hour’s worth of cutting and gluing. Don’t you think she makes such a chic, nature-inspired statement with those gorgeous, pale green furry leaves?
And then there’s that trailing Spanish moss that adds a dreamcatcher vibe.
Technically, Spanish moss isn’t actually a moss, since it thrives on fresh air. It has tiny, greenish-yellow flowers that grow amongst the slender, silvery green, leaves. The flowers aren’t easy to spot and it’s a definite sign that they’re happy.
When I need to give the air plants their weekly water bath, I simply unhook them and dunk them in the sink for a few minutes.
If you like the idea of making an air plant vine wreath, don’t forget to pin it for later.
Sharing is caring
Oh, and if you’re looking for some of the things we used, we’ve got you covered. Disclosure: Clicking on the links below, means we may receive a commission from Amazon. But don’t worry it won’t come out of your pocket, and it helps us make more amazing crafts to share with you 😉
And if you prefer to buy rather than DIY, then maybe these beauties will appeal.
And as always, wishing you a wonderful, crafty week filled with lots of love. Thank you for popping in for a visit.
How clever and creative to use grape vines. Looks great.
I love using grape vines, or whatever other vines happen to be growing in the garden. They’re free and you can do so much with them.
That beautiful, Michelle. I love the simplicity and the fact that the plants are real. That’s the one thing that’s always bugged me about faux flower wreaths…they look fake. This is such an inspired idea…and one that even this brown thumbed gardener could keep thriving!
I hear you, Kim. There’s just something about the real thing that no amount of plastic will ever be able to mimic and air plants are so easy to look after.